The West #1 2024

Principal's Preface

Welcome to another year at West Balcatta and our first digital newsletter. We are sure you will enjoy the new layout and find it easy to read the articles on your device. Schoolzine, the host, offers the opportunity for local businesses to advertise on our newsletter. If you are interested in doing this, contact Schoolzine by clicking on this link Advertising – Schoolzine

The start of the school year is always an exciting time with much to look forward to and many new things to experience. There are new teachers, new classrooms and new friends, as well as old. Our students have already made a great start. They have moved seamlessly into their new classes and are already working hard, showing enthusiasm for the tasks set. Their teachers are working hard too, setting up classroom routines and establishing expectations for the coming year. These are outlined in the parent information handouts you received early this week. This will ensure you know what’s happening in your child’s classroom this year and how you can support their learning. Of course, you will also have the opportunity to meet, one-on-one, with your child/ren’s teacher later this term. This will be a great opportunity to find out how they have settled and how you can support their learning.

You may have noticed a few new faces around school this year as we have several new staff. Unsurprisingly, our students have already given them a warm welcome.  As always, all staff, new and existing, are looking forward to working with you this year to create the best experience for our students. Remember, if you have a concern or worry, pop into the office to have a chat or visit your child’s teacher. You are always welcome. Note that our staff for 2024 and their roles are listed later in this newsletter for your information.  

After an unacceptable start, I am pleased to report that TheirCare, our new before and after school care provider, have responded promptly to rectify the complaints lodged by school and the parent community.  The service is running smoothly, with students well-fed, engaged in interesting activities, and protocols for collection and supervision followed. If you are considering using this service and still have concerns, make sure you pop by and watch them in action.

I would like to finish with a friendly reminder to show consideration when using the Cedric Street Kiss and Drive, particularly when collecting children at the end of the day. If the Kiss and Drive is full, please continue driving and complete a short circuit, before returning a few minutes later when it is quieter. Alternatively, drive further along Cedric Street or onto Hotchkiss Drive and park. You can then walk to collect your children from the Kiss and Drive or another agreed meeting point. Remember, your children will be looked after by staff on duty if you are a little late. If all drivers do this, there will be less congestion in this area. Thank you.

Caroline Booth

Back to school

It's been lovely to see our students back at school after the holidays for what is going to be a fantastic school year. Despite the hot start, students have settled in to their new classes, made new friends and are already working very hard. A special welcome is extended to our new West Balcatta families. 

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2024 Student Leaders

Last Thursday, our first Assembly for 2024 was hosted by our new Student Parliament. Although short and sweet, due to the heat, we had the pleasure of announcing our School Leaders for 2024. Thank you to all of the students who nominated for a role, and Congratulations to those of you who are proudly wearing your shiny new badges. We look forward to seeing what you can do!

• Parliamentarians: Alexandra, Allegra, Emmy, Harry, Jack & Valentina
• Faction Captains: Grace, Nathaniel, Stefan, Arianna, Scarlett, Jensen, Joshua & Jackson
• PA Team: Eden, Stefan, Sofia & Makai
• Library Monitors: Cassie & Vida
• Loose Parts Managers: Raavi, Gillian, Alannah, Eloise, Jessica & Ava
• Plant Carer: Evana
• Recycling Team: Cody, Julius, Khan, Denial, Caesar & Evan
• Photographers: Natalia, Keira, Sammi & Hudson
• Flag Team: Violet & Amelia
• Sustainability Team: Piper, Angelo, Isla, Damon, Zoe & Skye

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West Balcatta Staff 2024

As well as new students and families, West Balcatta has welcomed some new staff members this year. See below for our staff list, and if you need to put names to faces, check our our website for photos. 

Multi-Age (Split) Classes

Multi-age Classes are a major part of our class organisation in primary schools.  We use them to address the issue of enrolments for each year group not adhering to convenient class sizes. This year we have 2 multi-age classes – a PP/1 and Y4/5

Despite negative feelings amongst some parents, multi age (or split) classes are not a bad thing and have many benefits for students' learning. The most obvious is that they actively support developmental learning. Developmental learning acknowledges that children all develop at different rates with individuals reaching key milestones at different times.

A good example is when children learn to walk. Children go through a series of stages before achieving this and that it would be difficult to place a specific age on each one. Consider the age at which your own child or children reached each milestone. If we surveyed parents, we would receive varied answers. Most parents accept that their child will learn at their own pace and that each milestone is a cause for celebration. As parents, you foster development by providing a balance of challenge and support appropriate to your child’s development. You know development can’t be rushed, but it can be hindered.

It is the same when children get to school. They are at different stages of development. The Western Australian Curriculum determines an expected standard for each year group – the satisfactory or C grade you see on end of semester reports. Not all students are at the expected standard for their year group: some are below, while others are above. Moreover, there will be differences in how far above or below the standard these students are:

• In a year 1 class, for example, there will be a huge spread in terms of academic ability, physical and social skills, independence and confidence. This can often encompass 5 years of development.
• In a corresponding multi-age class, such as PP/1 or 1/2 the spread will not be that different.
• There will be PP students more advanced than Y1’s and Y1’s less advanced than the PP expected standard
• In a Straight Y1 class there will be students more advanced and Y1’s less advanced than the PP expected standard

In any class, straight or multi-age, the teacher must determine what the children can already do and what they know to identify the starting point for teaching.  They can then devise an appropriate teaching program for each learning area. Using this information, teachers will often group children according to need.

• In a straight class, groups will be made of students who are roughly same age
• In a multi-age class, groups will include students of different ages

Regardless of whether a child is in a straight or multi-age class, what the children already know and can do will determine what they are taught, not what is typical at their age. As such, assessment information is important. West Balcatta teachers are currently assessing their students to determine the appropriate point of teaching. We do not use a ‘one size fits all approach’ when developing teaching programs.  This reasoning supports multi-age classes at our school.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Multi-Age Classes

Disadvantages

• less students of similar age in class.

Advantages

• classes are smaller than straight classes.

Advantages for Younger Students in Class - PPs in TA5/ Year 4 in TA19

• opportunities for independence
• more potential to develop social skills by mixing with older students
• opportunities to build confidence
• opportunities for extension

Advantages for Older Students- Year 1 in TA5/ Year 5 in TA19

• opportunities for leadership
• opportunities to develop social skills, confidence through modelling appropriate skills and behaviour to inexperienced students

Most importantly, these classes actively support peer to peer learning. Research shows that supporting children to talk about their learning to a peer, explaining it using their words and context has a huge impact on learning. Multi-age classes give many opportunities for this.

On a final note, respected Education Professor John Hattie from the University of Melbourne has collected studies on muliti-age classrooms across the western world, including Australia and America.

"I would argue that if you give me a Year 4 class and that teacher is only teaching Year 4 material to that Year 4 class, I think you've got a very, very serious problem because in a Year 4 class you are going to find kids working at years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 [levels]. Issues teachers had with split classes may come down to their teaching approach.

"Some schools and some teachers teach those split classroom as if they are separate — now that dramatically adds to the workload, but it’s completely unnecessary to do it that way," he said. "One of the pros, you find there are students who can make similar mistakes, similar errors, have similar struggles and you can work with them together. It's very, very hard for teachers in a class of 25–30 to work on an individual one by one and that typically doesn't happen, they work them in groups They work them in groups not just because it is easier for the teacher but the kids learn from each other, and so to have those different abilities in the same classroom can obviously be a very marked positive. John Hattie

 If you have further questions about multi age classes at West Balcatta, please contact Caroline Booth on 9253 4950 or by email  Caroline.Booth@education.wa.edu.au.

Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day, held on Tuesday 6 February, is an annual global initiative to raise awareness of online safety issues. The eSafety Commissioner leads the initiative in Australia. They educate people about online safety risks, like online abuse, how to be safe online and where to go for help. Families are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with the eSafety Commissioner website, as it contains valuable information and resources to keep our kids safe online.

STEAM in Year 2

During Week 2, TA7 began their first STEAM challenge. STEAM combines science, technology, engineering, art and maths to build critical thinking skills, encourage creativity and practise problem solving. The year 2s were tasked with making a new bridge for an island as their previous one had been wrecked by a storm. We discussed the impact not having a bridge nor access to food and water would have on people on the island. This helped us define the problem. We then brainstormed different solutions and designs for our bridges and split into two groups to make the bridges. Students used upcycled cardboard and sustainable tools to work together and create a bridge that fulfilled the requirements. Not only was this a great  chance to complete some hands-on learning but it also provided time to work on social skills such as sharing, turn taking, being kind to each other, and teamwork. We are still working on our bridges and can’t wait to test them out!

Swimming Lessons

West Balcatta are excited to have the opportunity to attend swimming lessons again this year! First up are lessons for our years five and six students. Lessons for these students begin on the 22^nd of April and end on the 3^rd of May. The following week, our Pre-primary to year four students (including all students in TA19) get their chance! These students will attend lessons from the 6^th to the 17^th of May.  Information, payment details and enrolment forms about this were sent home via Connect last Wednesday. If you do not have access to a printer, you are welcome to come and collect a hard copy of these notes from the office.

During swimming lessons, students should wear their bathers to school underneath their school uniform. This will allow for a quick change at the pool. Students may also wear slip-on shoes/thongs to the pool (they will be given time to change into their trainers/regular school shoes once back at school). Students will need to bring a swimming bag packed with their underwear, towel, and goggles (optional). Please ensure your child’s belongings are clearly labelled with their name.  Once lessons are over, students will access supervised change rooms to change back into their school uniforms. Teachers will be with students at all times.

Students are welcome to pack a dressing gown, hooded towel or an additional jumper to wear to and from the pool. This will keep them warm and ensure they have a dry school jumper to put on when they return to class.

Swimming is hungry work! You might like to consider packing some extra recess or crunch and sip for your child during the two weeks of lessons.

Students are strongly encouraged to take part in swimming lessons as they make up the physical education program for the fortnight. However, if your child will not be taking part in the lessons. Please inform their class teacher and the school office. Class teachers attend swimming lessons with their class. Students who are not attending lessons will be split between other classes to be supervised while their teacher is away. They will be given a work pack to complete independently during this time.

Thank you for your support in getting your children organised for swimming lessons. We are looking forward to a fun and positive learning experience! Please see the office or your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

Values at West Balcatta

Year 6 students in TA15 have been learning about the our school values, creating posters to be displayed around the school. At West Balcatta, we focus on a new value each fortnight.

• Respect and concern for others and their rights (Weeks 1 & 2)
  We should all treat others with kindness and think about their feelings and rights. This means being nice to people, caring about how they're doing, and being polite. We want to make sure everyone feels comfortable and safe, and everyone has the chance to learn and be friends in a happy place.
• Pursuit of knowledge and commitment to achievement of potential (Weeks 3 & 4)
  Loving to learn and trying your best to do well is really important. It means always wanting to learn new things about the world around us, like how things work and how people live. We want you to do your best in everything you do and use your imagination to think in different ways. This helps you figure out what you believe in and how you see the world.

Reflection & Restoration @ WBPS

What if my child comes home with a ‘Reflection Sheet’?
Sometimes children make poor choices. It is a part of growing up and is an opportunity for growth. Students are often asked to reflect on their behaviour and how it affected other people, while thinking about what they might do differently in the future. This is sometimes in the form of a 'Reflection Sheet’, which may have been completed individually or with support. If your child comes home with one of these sheets, please discuss this with them, focusing on how they are going to mend relationships and behave in the future. Signing the sheet and returning it to the class teacher indicates to that it has been reinforced at home.

At West Balcatta, Restorative Practice is at the centre of our Behaviour Policy.  This approach helps to foster a sense of community and resolves conflicts in a way that promotes understanding, accountability and respect. In our primary school, we believe in the power of this approach to create a positive and supportive environment for our children to learn and thrive.

Restorative Practice focuses on building and maintaining strong relationships within our school community. It's about creating a culture where everyone feels valued, heard, and respected. Instead of simply punishing misbehaviour, Restorative Practice encourages dialogue and problem-solving. It's a shift from a punitive mindset to a more empathetic and collaborative one.

In our classrooms, Restorative Practice might involve daily check-ins where students have the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings. It might also involve restorative discussions, where students and teachers come together to discuss issues, build relationships, and resolve conflicts.

As parents, you play a crucial role in supporting Restorative Practice at home. You can encourage your child to communicate openly, take responsibility for their actions, and show empathy towards others. By reinforcing these principles at home, you help create a seamless transition between school and home life.

Twilight Family Picnic

The West Balcatta Primary School P&C is proud to present our annual twilight family picnic ‘Little Italy Style’.

Set up your picnic rug & prepare to be serenaded by the talented Mr Accordion Man.

Dinner is sorted with our friends from Base WF Pizza who will be dishing up the dough.

And we can’t forget Dessert! Take 5 Icecream Parlour  & Upbeat Sweets will be there to hit that sweet spot!

Families are welcome to bring their own picnic dinner too!

We look forward to welcoming new & familiar families.

Mark Lee Football Coaching

Term 1 Before School Soccer is Back!

Mark Lee and his coaching team are delighted to be back and would love your child to attend.

Mark is a former professional footballer and Perth Glory player. His coaching team include former and current professional players who all have a passion for developing children's skills.

Mark and his team can take your child to class after the session also if you wish.

Cost       $119 per child for 6 weeks

To register your child phone/text or email Mark on the details below:

0430 788 703

mark@mlfc.com.au